“I would hope so,” he told a newspaper editorial board this week when asked whether he anticipates giving a prime-time speech in Tampa.

Story Continued Below

Nothing says “Elect Mitt Romney!” like an unpopular multimillionaire awkwardly making the case on national TV.

We’re 100 days out, and convention organizers are just starting to tackle one of the trickiest and most important elements of the convention — selecting the speakers.

It’s a matter of juggling monumental political egos, precious little time for maximum TV exposure, appeasing people whose help is needed and ensuring the best message comes through to win over swing voters just starting to focus on the presidential contest.

“How much lobbying is there? More lobbying than on an oil pipeline,” said Democratic strategist Bob Shrum, who played a key role in putting together John Kerry’s 2004 convention in Boston.

Republican strategist Russ Schriefer, program chairman for George W. Bush’s 2004 convention in New York and now a senior Romney adviser, recounted more subtle lobbying efforts.

“People would give you suggestions — ‘It would be a really good idea for X to speak,’” he recalled with a chuckle. “Without naming names, there were a few challenges, and there are always a few egos that need to be soothed.”

The job is daunting. The networks at best will devote five or six hours over four days to convention coverage, and a good chunk of that is taken by all-but required speeches — the nominee, his spouse, the vice presidential nominee — so planners have to make the very most of the limited time they have.

The flexibility is further limited when you factor in other desired messages, such as highlighting the GOP’s diversity even if the audience inside the Tampa Bay Times Forum is overwhelmingly white. In 2008, for instance, the second night of the convention featured some of the party’s most prominent minorities, including Maryland Lt. Gov. Michael Steele, Education Secretary Rod Paige and Jeb Bush’s son, George P. Bush.

“They have special needs. For example, they’ve got to reach out to Hispanics so you’ll see Marco Rubio and maybe [New Mexico Gov.] Susana Martinez in prime time,” Shrum said. “They’ll have to have women because they need to close the gender gap.”

So you’ll likely see Rubio — whether or not he’s on the ticket — because the convention is in his home state and because of his ability to captivate a crowd. New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie seems a good bet, as does Ohio Sen. Rob Portman. But where does, say, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal fit in, or Virginia’s Bob McDonnell?

Is there room in prime time for former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty? Or even more intriguing are the prospects of Sarah Palin and Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann.